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July 2, 1998; TWC PRESS RELEASE: Bill 24... Sept 30 1998; DAILY NEWS: Hoods threaten... 1 July 1998
Why is it so much harder to protect what little remains of our semi-wilderness areas than it is to fight against such protection? Eight years have passed since the province began work on a United Nations-mandated process to designate and protect representative examples of our environmentally significant landscapes. Then that far-reaching goal was significantly compromised by an early decision to concentrate exclusively on large blocks of Crown-owned land, with the result that many characteristic habitat zones _ the Bras d'Or Lakes shore, for example _ had no representation on the final list. Still, within these limits, an independent review committee carried out one of the most extensive public consultations in the province's history. Three years ago, after public meetings throughout the province, the committee unanimously recommended the establishment of 31 protected areas. Then a secret lobby by a group of mining speculators, egged on by the mineral resources branch of the department of Natural Resources, convinced the Savage government to drop Jim Campbell's Barren from the list. Even with a huge public outcry, it took a yearlong fight and a change in premiers to get the barrens back on the protected list. Last December, the government finally introduced a bill to enshrine the protected places in law. Then it adjourned the legislature without action on the bill. Before it could be taken up again, an election intervened. This spring, residents of the area north of the Cape Breton Highlands Park, some of whom harbor justifiable resentment over the highhanded way park planners took their land 50 years ago, began protesting the inclusion of Pollet's Cove on the protected list. Magnificent Pollet's Cove is a provincial treasure whose protection is imperative. Opposition to its inclusion was based, in part, on false notions about what protected status would involve. Against this background, hoodlums went on a rampage of vandalism in the National Park this spring, destroying exhibits and defacing others with anti-park slogans. In response, the government dithered and pandered. On Monday, it introduced a watered-down bill that included concessions to the anti-park zealots in northern Cape Breton, and extended these concessions to all 31 protected places. Suddenly none of the sites _ not Pollet's Cove, and none of the other either _ can ever become federal or even provincial parks. This in a project that was originally called the ``Plan for Parks and Protected Areas.'' Under the bill, the public's right to hunt and trap in protected areas is presumed _ instead of leaving that decision to the individual management plans that will be drawn up for each site after further public consultation. The bill offers only anemic protection against destructive use of snowmobiles and ATVs in these fragile landscapes. Environment Minister Don Downe introduced the bill on the same day the Liberal-Conservative coalition took off for a four-month summer break. Opponents of conservation now have until October to pressure timorous legislators. Russell MacLellan came to office promising Nova Scotians ``the courage of the dawn.'' Instead he offers the trembling hand of dusk. Copyright (C) 1998 by Parker Barss Donham. All rights reserved. (pdonham@fox.nstn.ca) Tobeatic Wilderness Committee
RE: Bill 24 - Wilderness Areas Protection Act The Tobeatic Wilderness Committee is very disappointed that, for the third time in four years, the passage of this important legislation has succumbed to political manoeuvring and special interest group pressure. The TWC is disturbed by the actions of some individuals associated with the opposition to the protection of the Polletts Cove-Aspy Fault, who have resorted to criminal acts of vandalism of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, and rumoured acts of threat and intimidation of proponents of the Parks and Protected Areas Systems Plan. The Committee is further alarmed that the Government chose to yield to this type of pressure by delaying the Wilderness Areas Protection Act. In the past, the de-listing of the Jim Campbells Barren led immediately to renewed pressure on the Tobeatic Wilderness by industry concerns, who perceived weakness in the Government's resolve and commitment to the Plan. The TWC feels that this most recent response by the Government will only give encouragement to other opponents of the Plan to engage in similar activities. Concerning Bill 24 itself, the TWC supports the inclusion of those sections concerning the Environmental Registry, where all manner of things pursuant to the Wilderness Act are to be filed. As well, the new sections dealing with enforcement, the posting of signage, fines, forfeitures, and penalties are generally very good. They add strength to the Act, and will help the enforcement officers on the ground. However, references to the mysterious "Memorandum of Understanding of June 24, 1998" and its effect on Schedule B of the Act (Polletts Cove-Aspy Fault) are not understood, and its long-term effect on the implementation of the Systems Plan in general is not known. The contents of this memorandum must be made public. The Memorandum may mean that management issues for all other sites, including the Tobeatic, will have to wait until Polletts Cove/Aspy Fault is settled, by June 1999 or beyond. Meanwhile, those sites continue to be eroded and enjoy protection on paper only. Parks Division and other enforcement agencies can and will do nothing until legislation is passed. The Memorandum also raises the question of whether the Mainland public will be given the opportunity to make presentations as to the future of the Polletts Cove-Aspy Fault site, as was done in the Public Review Process leading up to the adoption of the Systems Plan, or will the process be restricted to the residents of the immediate area. Nova Scotians everywhere have a vested interest in the future of this special site, and in the interests of full, open public process, must be given the opportunity to speak. Another concern for the TWC is the manner in which the original Bill 17 was revised. The Committee, along with many other agencies and individuals, made written comments and suggestions to the Government following the introduction of Bill 17 in 1997. In the revision of Bill 17 into its present reincarnation as Bill 24, absolutely none of these suggestions were reflected in the new document. This failure to heed or to solicit input from the public during this process suggests a complete disregard for the public process, and the genuine concern and interest of Nova Scotians in the Systems Plan. While ignoring this positive input on one hand, the Government chose to respond to the negative and criminal reaction demonstrated in Cape Breton on the other, by delaying and rewriting Bill 24 to specifically address their concerns. Are we to draw the conclusion that to get attention from the Government on this issue, we must resort to vandalism and criminal acts? In the opinion of this Committee, Bill 24 still gives the Minister too much discretion (as was demonstrated in the case of Jim Campbells Barren), does not adequately guarantee public participation in the process, and does not define what we are trying to protect in terms of a Definition of Wilderness. Generally, TWC felt Bill 17 was inadequate. Bill 24, though marginally improved, is little better. As a tool, it may be useful, but only if it is implemented. It has now been four years and three attempts, and TWC can't help but question the Government's commitment and the validity of the Parks Systems Plan process. We have been working at protecting the Tobeatic Wilderness for over six years, and seem no closer today than we were at the beginning. The Committee feels the Wilderness Bill is in no way assured of passage in the fall sitting of the Legislature, as past delays and broken promises have taught us. We urge the Government to simply get on with the adoption of this important legislation, before this precious opportunity is lost forever. Contact:
Wednesday, September 30, 1998
Hoods threaten wilderness protection
What an organizer politely calls "persistent, disruptive behaviour" by opponents of protected status for the province's most spectacular unprotected wilderness has led the government to cancel public-consultation sessions with nearby residents. The wilderness is the 275-square-kilometre Pollett's Cove-Aspy Fault area in Cape Breton. It encompasses magnificent ocean vistas, idyllic coves, coastal mountain barrens, rare plants, abundant wildlife, undisturbed watersheds, and canyons filled with old-growth hardwood forests. The behaviour consisted of slashed tires, a death threat, threats of violence, shouting that prevented conversation between the consultation team and the public, and blocking the view of exhibits with picket signs. The 13 consultation sessions - 12 in Cape Breton and one in Halifax - were planned because of criticism the area had been left out of the original round of public meetings on the protected-places program back in 1995. They were intended to be a first step in drafting a "stewardship agreement" to ensure local community involvement in managing the Pollett's Cove-Aspy Fault protected area. The government had already altered its protected-places legislation to allow so-called "traditional community uses" of the area to continue. Under the leadership of the Kanata Institute's Angus MacIntyre, a Cape Bretoner experienced in public consultations, the team sought to go beyond simple expressions of support or opposition, and find common ground on measures that would protect an area all sides profess to value. None of that was good enough for a small band of hoodlums bent on having their way. The intimidators numbered less than a dozen, and likely included some of the same bunch that vandalized Cape Breton Highlands National Park facilities last spring in an earlier attempt to block the process. While the vandals are few, opposition is widespread in the area North of Smokey. Half century of resentment
Some of it appears psychological. The park already separates the region from the rest of the province. There's a sense of isolation, and of an ever shrinking land base in a region where residents feel a deep connection to the land. Some residents worry they will no longer be able to graze cattle or cut firewood in the area, as their families have for generations. Participants in the area's active moose-poaching commerce likewise count themselves among the project's opponents. But not all local residents are opposed. Those who draw their living from tourism look forward to the creation of good hiking trails through the area. Others are anxious to prevent industrial exploitation of the wilderness. The MacLellan government has already bent over backwards to make provision for "traditional" community use of the land, even stretching that concept to include such recent (and highly destructive) activities as snowmobiling and ATVs. No matter. The opponents say the government could always rescind those exemptions. Their intimidation tactics escalated as public sessions progressed. At the seventh meeting, last Tuesday in Cape North, John LeDuc of the Environment Department had his life threatened and his tires slashed. With that, the committee cancelled the remaining six sessions - including those in Sydney and Halifax, where voices for a broader public interest might have been heard. "You can't have an effective process in an atmosphere of threats," MacIntyre said in a telephone interview. "But without excusing the behaviour, you have to try to understand it." The committee will continue to take written submissions until Oct. 6 (c/o Angus MacIntyre, RR#1 Whycocomagh, NS, B0E 3M0, or by e-mail to angusmac@ fox.nstn.ca). It's likely the committee will recommend delaying the legislation, or at least its application to Pollett's Cove-Aspy Fault, until a community-stewardship agreement is in place. `Need to show movement'
This sounds suspiciously like caving in to violent intimidation. The government has already made major concessions to the tender feelings of local residents - including the regrettable decision to allow all-terrain vehicles into protected places - but there are none so deaf as those who refuse to hear. If Pollett's Cove and the Aspy Fault wilderness cannot be protected, then the province's troubled protected places program is meaningless. If the committee can't summon the gumption to stand up to the yahoos, the government should. Pass the bill now.
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